Hyrule's Savior
by Unhallow
Summary: A retelling of Zelda: Ocarina of Time from just after the forest temple. Link has a heavy destiny, the weight of the world on his shoulders, and coping with that is more difficult then he can imagine. Pairings to come, though none are set in stone.


Hi all. I know I've been not doing anything for a while, but I suddenly grew a life and had to attend to it (read: I was lazy and looking for an excuse). In any case, I'll probably post stuff sporadically. I started to get in a Zelda mood, and I figured 'eh, why not'. So here we are, with the first chapter of a fanfic. This is basically the retelling of Link's story with some creative additions and artistic liscence added. This whole thing starts after the forest temple, and Link's already visited Lon-Lon ranch. If I get details of what happened in the story wrong, remember that a) I get to take artistic liberties. I'm the damn writer, here! and b) I haven't actually PLAYED the game for quite a while." So don't take my head off on details like that. Alright, that's just about it, and review, dammit!

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It was, Link found, one of the most horrible feelings he could imagine, to know that you're dying and then to know that you're just going to get up and do it again. And again. And again. This time, death came by means of a rusted, wavily serrated blade that now protruded from his stomach, wielded by an animated skeleton in broken armor that had, until moments ago, simply been a pile on the ground. He felt the blood rise in his mouth as the skeleton looked over him, it's unadorned skill grinned in a gaptoothed manner at him with the hollow, dead sockets he had come to loath. With a sickening sound the sword removed itself from his stomach, the rust of the blade catching against his innards and cplitting their delicate linings as he toppled to the side, his body cooling as the light left his eyes.

In stark contradiction, life came from a glowing pink ball of giggling fairy that leapt from one of four precious bottles he carried with him and fluttered around his body, her naked femenine form obscured in the innappropriate places by small glares of pink light. She fluttered about his body, gigglng like a schoolgirl before with a strange sound of air rushing back to fill a small cavity, she pressed herself against him and passed from existance. As she did, he could feel his organs swirling back together, the wound in his stomach sealing with a searing pain and the warmth flooding back through his body. The blood in his mouth no longer flowed, simply remained as a testament to his previous predicament. His body was seamless once more as he got to his feet, though his tunic had a nice cut through it that was lined with the brown red of rust. "Get back here..." he growled to the stalking skeleton, more for his own satisfaction then anything else, considering it couldn't actually hear him.

Nonetheless, it did indeed turn around before the rasp of metal on rusty metal made itself pronounced and Link tore through themetal plates that served as it's armor with what could only be described as a vicious bloodlust brought on by thoughts of an untimely death narrowly avoided. Bones broke and rent beneath the permanently sharp, clean blade of the Master Sword before, at last, the animating force of the creature ended and it lay still on the ground.

The boy panted, his shoulders heaving with exertion as he looked around him at the vined walls of the Forest Temple. Seria, though revealing herself as the sage of the forest, had been kind enough to dump him at the very entrance to the temple into the waiting arms of several of his bodily challenged, skeletal foes, and one happened to get a lucky swing off beneath his guard. With a sigh he swept his gleaming blade over his shoulder, sheathing it on the dented metal of his worn Hyrule Shield as he walked back towards the wooded entrance. Fortunately he wouldn't have to deal with the psychotic guardsmen of the temple this way, the hedges that blocked his way now allowing him free passage above them. As he walked, the tinkling and flash of light that accompanied his tiny companion's arrival met his ears, though he didn't shift to look.

"Hey." Navi said, the white light that obscured her form as always glistening over her body as she hovered by his ear before the smile that had lit her tiny face fell lightly as she saw his expression. "What's wrong, Link?" she asked, her voice softening as she moved to sit on his shoulder, her pearlescent wings beating the air behind her gently as though they couldn't simply remain still.

The Hero of Time's face was heavy and worn, his eyes hard as he leapt over the hedge. "Nothing, Navi, I'm alright." he said, his adult voice deeper then it had been when she first met him, several weeksor seven years ago (depending on whose perspective you were talking about)before the Great Deku Tree had fallen ill. His elfin, adult form was quite handsome, in a slightly angular way, his nose and jaw firm but slender and his long ears sweeping to points off the side of his face. His long blond hair fell to just above his shoulders and hung over his azure eyes. The green cap atop his head and the matching tunic that went over his body were worn from travel, and he would need to get them repaired soon.

He had aged and matured so quickly, though to be fair most of that was through force. He was the Hero of Time; it wasn't exactly like he could just screw around all the time now, but even when he was a child he had lost some of his youthful vigor. Now, at least in body, a man of seventeen -give or take a couple years- he carried himself like the soldier he had become. "I'm just a little tired, is all." he added as he hopped from the final hedge and made his way through the twisting forest to reach the wide planes of Hyrule.

"You should rest, Link, you're wearing yourself ragged." Navi said, her voice concerned as she placed a small hand on the side of his muscular but still lithe neck, her fairy skin cold against the soft flesh of his neck. She had always been by his side, and he was grateful for that, but there was only just so much she could help him when it really came down to it, and they both knew and lamented it.

"I know. I'll rest tonight. I don't think I'm fit for another big trip today." he said with a soft smile to his companion as he took out the ocarina. He wasn't particularly skilled at playing anything other than the melodies he had picked up for his travels, but he could manage those quite quickly and effectively. Epona's song flew form his fingers, and it wasn't long before the auburn mare came galloping across the plains to meet him. He smiled at her approach and gently ran his hands over her soft muzzle as she approached. After giving her a carrot, he swung onto the horses back and settled into the saddle. "Ok...a bit of a break before I move onto Death Mountain..." he said apprehensively, wondering what new threat awaited him on the scorching summits of the twin peaks.

"Why don't you go visit Lon-Lon ranch?" Navi suggested as she moved down onto his shoulder so she wouldn't be blown off by the winds from Epona. She pouted slightly,shaking her small head. Link had no concept of rest; she had been thinking about something more along the lines of a break, maybe for a week or so, but if he was going to fgo foreword there wasn't much she could do to stop him. Even though it seemed a little selfish, considering the fate of everything being on the boy's shoulders, sometimes she wished he had a little more time just to rest and gather his breath.

Link smiled at the suggestion- meeting Malon after seven years had been intereting, to say the least- and nodded. "Sounds good... I could do with a night of sleep in an actual bed for once..." he said with a yawn. He looked to the sky, his eyes narrowing warily. The sun was slipping down the horizon a bit too quickly for his tastes, he was in no mood to spend his night wading through legions of the dead skeletons. He sighed and secured his hat with a brief yank before he put his spurs into Epona's side and they were off with a neigh and a slight yelp from Navi as she held on for dear life.


End file.
